Astronomy: How Near the Quasar?

Are quasi-stellar sources, or quasars, the
most distant objects ever seen by man, occupying the outer limits of
the universe itself? Or are the quasars relatively close by, perhaps
even neigh bors of the earth's own Milky Way galaxy? These questions
have divided scientists into warring camps and brought near chaos to
the once orderly world of astronomy. To confuse the issue further, a
staunch advocate of the distant-quasar theory has now weakened his own
case by finding evidence suggesting that one quasar is closer to earth
than most nearby galaxies.